Filling machine control mechanism



y 1952 P. E. FISCHER ET AL 2,603,398

FILLING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR PAUL E. FISCHER I MORTIME B. STURDEVANT BY M Q. w AZLOfl/lfl)July 15, 1952 P. E. FISCHER ET AL 2,603,398

FILLING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS PAUL E. FISCHER ORTIMER B. STURDEVANT July 15, 1952 P. E.FISCHER ET AL 2,603,398

FILLING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3III TO VAOUUII u... I. VIAEE 'IIIIIIII MORT MER B. STURDEVANT BY Q/ fl;M

A T TOR/YE Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,32 FIG. 5

P. E. FISCHER ET AL FILLING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM s m m m mm A K m[In E. U m m 6 w m a \m ix n mum m 6. nlu m, F

July 15, 1952 Filed Sept. 15, 1949 MORTIMER B. STURDEVANT BY Wk 6- QMATTORNEY Patented July 15, 1952 7 2,603,398 FILLING MACHINE'CONTROLMECHANISM Paul E.- Fischer ,m ,Mortimer' 1i serials,

Minneapolis,

7 inn assignors toGeneral -Mills Inc., acorporation of DelawareApplication September 15, 1949', SerialNoQ11552 The present inventionrelates to filling machines, and particularly to control means for suchfilling machines designed to prevent operationof the filling device whenthe supply'of. containers to the machine is interrupted.

Various constructions have been proposed in the past for use in fillingmachines, to prevent-the operation of the filling mechanism when thesupply of containers to be filled is interrupted, Such' devicesaregenerally characterized as no con tainer-no fill mechanisms. 1

It is one object of the present invention to provide improved controlmechanism for filling mach-ineswhich will prevent operation of thefill,- ing mechanism in the absence of a container to be filled.

It is another object of the invention to pro signed for use in'co'mbinationwith resilient operating means for moving the'usualcontainer support andfilling head into juxtaposed fillingposition. I

A further object is a control mechanism which iseffective on anindividual filling head without interruption of operation of theremainder of the machine.

cl ims, (01. 226L116)" invention are described with particularreference; to the'accompanying drawings. 1: Z. In these drawings;wherein like referencechare acters'indicatelike parts, 1 Figure 1 is apartial'top: plan of a rotary filling, machine incorporating the controlL mechanism: of the present invention. with 'the upper or filling headportion of: thee-machine broken; awayrfor,v clearness; J 1 7.

Fig.2 is; a. schematic perspective view of certain station's of'tth'eniachine' of :Figz. 1,1 showing-ides tails of operation. ofsthecontrolgmech'anismw I "Fig.3" is 'a' sectional elevation takenina'radial Another object of the invention is" acontrol mechanism whichincludes resilient operating means for relative movement of the fillinghead and container support of a rotary filling machine, incombinationwith stop means on the rotatable carrier of such a machine forpreventing-coinpletion' of the relative movement of the parts to fillingposition.

Still another object is the provision of a control mechanism for rotarymachines of this type in which the position of movable stop means on therotatable carrier of the machine iscontrolled by setting mechanism onthe stationary base of the machine.

A further object is the provision of such coiltrol means in combinationwith resetting means on the stationary base of'the machine forcooperation with movable stop means on the rotatable carrier.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification in which certain preferred embodiments of theplane passing 'through. the: axis of rotation .of l the machine=an'd'the axis of one of the container sup'portsand fillingsheadslf a 1Fig; 4' :is' an enlarged partial sectional view of 1 part ofthefrllin'ghead ofFig-B. 1 Fig, 5zis a. partialtsecti'onalEviewofportionsof the container, support and. fillingzhead, with the container,support locked to prevent completion of its-movement to fillingposition. Fig. .6''is a'ipartialzse'ctional viewon'zthe 'line' 6-15of'F-ig; 5 withith'e latch portion'o'f :the' stop mechanism in lookingpositioniz: 1' Fig. 7 is'a .view similar .toi-1 "ig.- 6.'.with the latchmember inunlockedposition; V L" Fig. Bis an enlargedpartial.sectionalView of; the interengagingportions of the stop :meansand.

container sup-port. .7.

' Fig.1 9 is an. enlarged side elevatiomrwith .cere. tain parts-shown insection, showing: details. of" the setting. mechanism according to theinvene ti0n,-a;nd v f ,7 I Fig: 10 is'a view similar to Fig, 3, butwith:the filling head andncontainer 1 support .in relatively separatedloading positionof' another type .or fi l ls in'g head constructionsuitable for use .in accord-2. aneewith theinvention; i e :i- .1 7General description In. general; the: objects of the present Linventi'on'fiare'zaccornplished by: provision of a filling:machinem:in.;.wh-ich a suitable filling-head and container support aremounted ona base fortrelative m men owa d nd omea h Qih rt :1 tween arelatively spar-a ed. loading -po sition an relatively juxtaposedfilling position. Ifhe powe means .for causing relative movement o-fthparts includes means resniehuymovmg the co tainer support and fillinghead htol relative fill; mg position. For this re ilient movementythe;present description discloses the 'us'eof. pneumatic operating means;However in certain cases; other know'n forms or operating mechanismcouldbe utilized in which the necessary resilience is provided by springs orthe like.

The filling mechanism according to the present invention is so designedthat it will be disabled or inoperative unless the container support andfilling head are moved completely into the filling position. In thepresent case the filling mechanism includes connections to a suitablesource of vacuum. The filling head and container support also includecooperating elements which engage each other to form an airtight fillingchamber when the parts are completely moved to filling position. Failureto complete the movement of these parts into filling position preventsinterengagement of the operating elements on the support and head andthus prevents the reduction of pressure within the filling chamber.Since operation of such a filling head depends on the creation of asubstantial vacuum within the filling chamber,

failure to move the container support and filling head all the way tofilling position will accordingly prevent operation of the fillingmechanism.

While other arrangements may be used in certain cases to preventoperation of a filling mechanism in the absence of complete movement tofilling position, the construction shown in the present specification ispreferred by reason of its simplicity and economy of operation.

In accordance with the invention, a stop is provided which is movable toand from a blocking position in'which it prevents completion of therelative movement of the container support and filling head into fillingposition.

The position of this stop means is controlled and determined by settingmechanism operated in response to a suitable detector which isresponsive to the presence or absence of a container on the containersupport. Thus when no.

container is positioned on the support, the de-.

tector mechanism, through the setting device, will move the stop meansinto blocking position to prevent complete movement of the parts intofilling position and thus prevent operation of the filling mechanism.

As thus far described, the mechanism according to the present inventionis suitable either for single head, straight line,'or rotary types offilling machines. The device is particularly useful, however, when usedin connection with machines of the rotary type. In such machines, asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, containers 34 are fed into the machine by asuitable loading platform or conveyor 18 at an initial loading stationdesignated as A. A rotatable carrier 22 carries a series ofcircumferenti'ally. spaced container supports 24 in the directiondesignated by arrow 80 of Fig. 1. Each container support thus passesfirst from the loading stationat A to a detector station indicated at B.Here suitable detector mechanism 82 determines the presence or absenceof a container on the support, and controls theposition of a settingdevice 84 according to the presence or lack of such a container.

In the continued rotation of the carrier 22, setting device 84determines the position of stop mechanism indicated generally at 86(Figs. 1 and 2). As the container supports leave the station B and thedetector mechanism and setting device, they move to a further station C(Fig. 2) atwhich the container support is normally moved upwardly tofilling position. However, should thesetting device 84 have moved thestop mechanism 86 into blocking position,

complete movement of the support to filling position will be prevented.

During further rotation of the carrier 22 and supporting plate, thefilling mechanism will become operative, for example, by connection to asuitable source of vacuum. As already described, this vacuum connectionwill only be effective to feed material through the filling head in theevent that movement of the support to filling position has beencomplete. The filling operation is continued through a substantialportion of the rotary movement of plate 22 and support 24 and isterminated at a second point in the path of rotation just before thesupport reaches station D of Fi 1. At station D, a resetting device 88is provided to restore the stop mechanism to its normal or inoperativeposition in preparation for a normal succeeding filling cycle. Furtherrotation of the machine to station E will result in removal of thecontainers from the various supports onto an unloading platform 90. Thisremoval is accomplished'by cooperating inner and outer guides 92 and 94in combination with a movable pusher arm 96 fastened to transferconveyor 98 which is rotated on an axis H!!! in timed relation to therotation of carrier 22.

Thus, in normal operation of the machine, container-s will be fed to thesupports at station A and will be filled during rotation of the supportsfrom station A clockwise to station E. Should the supply of containersbe interrupted for any reason, rotation of the carrier 22 and supports-24 may be continued. The stop means described generally above willprevent operation of any individual filling head which does not have acontainer in position to receive the material. At the same time theremaining heads will be operative to fill those containers which areavailable. Hence the safety mechanism of the present invention preventsneedless interruption of the operating cycle of such a rotary fillingmachine. At the same time, the mechanism solves the problem which wouldotherwise be present, of preventing operation of the vacuum fillingmechanism when a container is missing from a given support.

Were it not for the stop means which prevents completion of the relativemovement of the container support to filling position, it will beapparent that the cooperating elements on the filling head and supportwhich establish the filling chamber would move into engagement with eachother, would form an air tight chamber, and would accordingly permitoperation of the filling head. Then as the parts were returned to theirseparated or loading position, the material would be spilled from thecontainer support into the operating mechanism of the machine. Thesedifficulties are prevented by the present mechanism'in a simple andpositive manner as described in detail below.

Container support and filling head operation As shown in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive, the present filling machine includes a stationary base 20 onwhich carrier 22 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. Oncarrier 22 are mounted a series of circumferentially spaced containersupports 24.

' Carrier 22 supports a central hub 26, at the top of which is mounted aplate 28 which carries a series of filling heads 30. One such fillinghead is located above each container support 24. In the form shown inFig. 3, the filling head 30 includes a depending extension 32, theinternal volume of which is substantially equal to or slightly greaterthahlthefinternalyelume of the-container sato be euge su oi extension 32engages' -the botto tainer tweei-i'tn extension and thesupport.

itecerding to the inventlon, powermeans is provided ror r'elativemovement of the container support and filling head-"betweenrespectiveloading and filling positions. While either the support or the fillinghead or both could be moved for this purpose, a construction has beenshown infwhich the filling heads remain vertically ste tionary,;and thecontainer supports are recipro-w cated-fverti'cally'from theloadingpo'sition shown in Fig.1 2 "at station D to the fi llingpositionshown at station C of Fig. 2.

vThe means by which-the container support is moved resiliently upwardagainst the filling head extension 32 is shown in this case as apnei'im'a'tic cylinder 36 to which the container supportu is rigidlyconnected. Cylinder 36 in turn is' vertically reciproeableron astationary piston 38." Piston 38 ha an internal passage II commun'ic'iating with I an air' passage 42 in the-rotatable carrier 22. Apipe fl l is con'nected to pas'sage M -and is also adapted forconnection to a suitable source of compressed airt'o lift cylinder :36-and'container support 24 to the position" of Fig; 3. A suitablebellows-46 --connectsthe lower end'of cylinder 31? to the iston-su orting "plate48 o'n the rotatable carrier 22. This bellows surrounds-and encloses theportion of the-piston between thecylinder and-the pistonsupport andprevents "the entrance of dust at these points during-operation 'o'f'themachine. 7

"Since any well known means i or controlling the air pressure throughconnection 44 maybe utilized, the details of the pressure controlmechanism have been omitted. It will be understood-that pressure withincylinder 36 is increased to lift the cylinder and supporting plateatone'point in the rotation of carrier 2 2","corresponding inthis caseto station C of Fig.2. At a sec'ond point spaced farther along in-thedirection of rotation of carrier 2 2-, the pressure in cylinder '36willbe reduced to lower the container support 24 back to its initialloading position prior to-arr ival of the support at stationfD of Fig.1.

In order to locate each container 34 accurately wi th-respect' to itsfilling head,'supporting plates Z Ieach include aguidepo'st-SB fastenedat 58 t o the inner 'rear corner of the -supporting plate 24. Guide post56, in turn, is provided with angular upper and lower guides 60 and'62,respectively, for-engagementwith the inner and rear sides ofeachcontainer 34. Thus as the containers are'fecl onto each containersupport and stationA, they will engage the guides '60 and 62 and will beac-' curatelypositioned ior filling during subsequent operation of themachine.

shown in the enlarged View 4, the

fillinghead includes a 'central fillin'g opening 64 connected to asuitable' hopper or other source of material to be filled. Fillingopening 64 is so designed that downwardmovernent of the powder or:material to be filled will not ordinarilywt'ake place 'u'nle'sspressure is "subsequently reducedbelow" the filling opening.

"Toobta'in the necessary reduction of pres'sure',

"filling'fhead' se is provided with one or more air control passages 66and 88 which may include screens or filters wand-J2 respectively. A con-(hit 14 v isadapted 1 for connection or passages -66" and 68 to asuitable controlled source'of vaciium.=

Here again, details ofthe mechanism by which the vacuum is-controlledhave been omitteisince any standard vacuum system may be used. :It:

will understoodthat a-vacuum is normally established through connectionsI tduring a predetermined portion of the-rotary movement-ofeach fillir'ig -h'ead and container support between:

stations C'a-nd'D-of Figs. 1 and 2. i

As already described, the connection 14- will-not be efiective {tocreate a vacuum in the filling chamber within extension 32 unlessthecontainer support' fl is n'iot ed allthe way-to the filling osi tion-of3. When the stop mechanism is op-' erated in accordance with the presentinvention in response to absence of a container, the upward movement ofsupport '24 will be arrested in thepo'sition of Fig. 5 just before thelower edge of the extension- 32' engages the resilient seat 54 of thecontainer support. Thus anannular opening lfi is provided throughwh'ichair can enter extension 32 and prevent the reductionof pressure therein.

7 Stop means for container support I I Detail-s oi the construction-bywhich complete movement of the container support and filling head tofilling position is prevented are shown in Figs. 5 to 8. The stopmeans,generally-indicated at 86, includes a stop tU-Zwhich is'pivotedatllll to-a supporting post I06. v Post IOBis mountedon therotatable carrier adjacent the lifting cylinder fie-and is fastenedto-the carrier at I03. As-indicated: in -l ig .,2, a separatestopmechanism is provicled for cooperation with each lifting cylinderandcontainer support.

In'the particular stop mechanism shown, the axis of pivot I-M 'f orstopW2 extends generallyradially-and horizontally with respect torotatable-carrier 22. Stop )2 includes an abutment H0 atone end.Abutment- Nels located in the path ofnormal verticalmovementof acooperating projection] l2 fastened to thecylinder-SB at I I4.,;A;spring I I-fi-is located between theother end I I-8cf the. stop I02and-aportion ofa-support Hi6, and normally urges thestop I 02inacounter;

clockwise-direction with respect toEFig; -5 so -;that.

end'I I 8, "of the stop is held against cross :mem-ber, I 19 on tthesupport I I3 6.

as indicatedin Fig. *8. This upward" movement WillStOI) when support.2-1 reaches its" uppermost positionv and engages a containerbottomagains'ti the-lowerend of filling-head extension 32; At-thi'stime, latch l-fl zwill be) in the dotted line positionv of Fig. '8.

,However, when the stop means is a'ctuated' in the mannerdescribedbelow, a latch portion-I20 (Figs; 5 and '7) will be movedbeneath theend N8 of stop I02to prevent rotation to thedot'ted lineposition-of Fig.8. In this case, the parts will be held :in:the positionof Fig. '5 to provideithe annular space T6 between the filling head:exten' sion- 3-2 and the container-support-k l. Operation of thefilling head willaccordingly be prevented since pressure will n'ot bereduced sufficiently to cause flow of the filling material. I 7

' Latch portion I 20 constitutes an enlarged-sec- 7 tion of a ,slidablelatch member I22. This latch member I22 moves parallel to pivot I04, i.e., radially of the rotatable carrier. 22. It is supported forthisradial sliding movement by slots' engagement with the setting andresetting mech-.

anisms described below to determine the position of thelatch. 7

As indicated in Figs. 6 and '1, the position of latch I 22 and itsenlarged section I20 with reference to end III! of stop I02 determineswhether or not stop I 02 is locked in the position of Fig. 5 orissfreeto move to the dotted line position of Fig. 8. When latch I22 isin the position of Fig. 6, stop I02 is looked as shown also in Fig. 5.Similarly, movement of latch I22 to the position of Fig. '7 moves theenlarged section I20 out from under the end II8 of stop I02 and permitsrota tion of the stop as indicated in Fig.8.

Setting means for support stop 1 and 2) which is bolted at IM to a framemember I43 mounted on the stationary base 20 of the machine.

A spring I38 normally urges lever I34 in a clockwise direction withrespect to Fig. 9 to the heavy line position of the figure. The innerend of lever I34, i. e., the end toward the center of the machine,carries a cam projection I40 which has a cam surface I42 angularlydisposed with respect to the path of circumferential movement of the camroller I32 on stop mechanism 86. The opposite end of lever I 34 isbifurcated at I44 and the bifurcations are provided with slots I48 forengagement with a pin I50. Pin I 50 is carried by a connecting rod I52which is vertically slidable through a suitable guiding and sealingportion I54 on plate I31. The lower end of connecting rod I52 is pivotedat I56 to the core I58 of'a solenoid I60. Solenoid I60 is enclosed in ahousing I62 for protection of the parts. Leads I64 and I66 connect thesolenoid core to a suitable source of current through the detectorswitch mechanism described below.

When solenoid I60 is deenergized, the parts remain in the position shownin heavy lines in Fig. 9 because of the force exerted by spring I38.When solenoid I60 is energized, its core I58 will be moved downwardlyand will thus rock lever I34 and cam I40 to the dotted line position ofFig. 9. Thus the cam I40 will be raised from its lower or heavy lineposition .(in which it was clear of the path of movement of roller I32on latch I22) to its upper or dotted line position (in which it liesdirectly in the path of movement of roller I32). The slope of camsurface I42 is such that roller I32 and latch I22 will be moved from theposition of Figs. 7 and 9 to the position of Fig. 6. as the stopmechanism 86 is moved by the rotatable carrier 22 past the camprojection I 0.

Thus, whenever solenoid I60 is energized, the

8: setting mechanism will be moved into the path of the cam roller I32and will thus set the stop mechanism 86 in locking position so as toblock the upward movement of the container support 24 when it reachesthe position of Fig. 5 pr ior to.

completion of its movement to filling position. Similarly, when thesolenoid is deenergized, spring I38 will return the parts to the heavyline position of Fig. 9 so that the setting mechanism will have noeffect on the stop devices 86 which thereafter pass the settingmechanism prior to reenergization of solenoid I60.

Detector mechanism The detector mechanism 82 is best shown in Figs. 1and 2. In the form shown, the detector includes a feeler arm I68 whichis adapted to engage the outer side wall of a container 34 whenever sucha container is mounted on sup-- port 24. This engagement .of the feelerarm I 68 and container 34 will hold the feeler arm I68 in the heavy lineposition of Fig. 1. This same position is also shown in heavy lines inFig. 2.

Feeler arm I68 is pivoted at I10 to a supporting plate I12. A spring I14normally urges the feeler arm I68 in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1 andthus holds the arm against the container side wall. In case no containeris supplied to the support 24, spring I14 will move. thehfeeler arm I68from the heavy line position of Fig. 1 to the dotted line position ofFig. 2. A rearward extension I16 of the feeler arm will accordingly moveaway from the actuating lever I18 of a suitable detector switch I andwill permit arm I18 to move under the influence of the internal springnormally associated with such a switch to change the effective operatingposition of the switch. The switch contacts are connected to leads I66and I82. Lead I66, as explained above, is connected to one end ofsolenoid I60. Lead I82 from the microswitch I80 and the remaining leadI64 from the solenoid are connected to a suitable source of current.

Thus, when no container is present on a given container support 24, thefeeler arm I68 will be moved to the dotted line position of Fig. 2 andwill thus move the vmicroswitch I80 to closed position to energizesolenoid I60 and move the setting cam I 40 into the proper position toset the stop mechanism 86 as described.

As soon as the supply of containers is resumed, the arrival of such acontainer on its support 24 at station B will move the feeler arm I68back to the heavy line position of Figs. 1 and 2 and will thus moveswitch arm I18 to open position manner to control the solenoid I60 inresponse to the presence or absence of a container on support 24 at thisstation.

Resetting device The resetting device 88, shown in Figs. 1 and 2,includes a horizontal supporting plate I84 located just above the pathof movement of the rollers I32 of stop mechanism 86. A downwardlyextending flange I86 at the inner edge of plate I84 is positioned at anangle to the cir-.

- sion 32.

cumferential path of rotation of theiparts. The

surface I88 of flange I86'thus serves as acam against which the rollerI32 on latch I22 of each stop mechanism 86 will engage in. the eventthat the roller and latch are in the blocking position of Fig. 6. Theinclination of cam surface I88 is such that roller I32 will" be movedradially outward from the dotted line position ==of Fig; 1 to the heavyline position. of Fig. l, i. e., from the locked position of Fig. 6 tothe un-" locked position of Fig. 7'. Incase roller I32 and i itscorresponding latch had not been set on their previous movement past thesetting mechanism 82, roller I32 would already be in its'outerradial'position and would thus be unaffected by the-resetting camsurface I88.

Cam supporting plate I84 is mounted by means of suitable brackets l90andI92 on a vertical 'frame member I94 rigidly connected to the base 20 ofthe machine. Thus the resetting device, as well as the setting means, ismounted on the stationary base of the machine for cooperation with thestop means carried by themtatable carrier, during movement of the stoprneans past the setting and resetting mechanisms. In Fig. 10, anotherarrangement of'the .nected to the vacuum source. pressure. in. this.manner will prevent. downward 10 V10 moved all'the way up-intoengagementwith' the lower en'clof. shroud 200, an-ann'ularairspace 1will be provided between the top .of' support: 216 and the. bottom of.shroud portion 208. Air en- =teringr through this annularspace will thusmaintain normal" pressures within shroud 206 even'though conduits 200and 2I2 are con- Maintenance. of

flow of thevfilling .material onto supporting platel2l6 in the absenceof acontainer.

Feeler arm I68, shown in Fig. 10, will assume a. position. dependingonthe presence or absence of a container to operate the detector-switchand setting mechanism in the manner previously described. I I I :Inconclusion, it will be noted that a control mechanism has beenprovidedforifilling machines inw-hichtthe deposit'of filling materials ispositively prevented in the absence of'acontainer to be filled. Theconstruction set forth accomplishes the objects outlined at thebeginning of this specification and offers a new and usefiil meansofavoiding complete stoppage of filling -machine operation when thesupply of'containers is only temporarily interrupted.

cooperating elements on the filling head and supporting plate is-shown.In this embodiment of the invention, the filling head I96 issubstantially similar to the filling head 30 'previously described, withthe exception of the extension associated therewith. Thus the fillinghead includes air control openings I98 connected. by

-a conduit 200 to a suitably controlled 'sourcerof vacuum. A centralfilling opening 202 in communication with a hopper 204 permits thefilling material to flow downwardly-when'pries-' sure is substantiallyreduced below the filling head.

' In this case, the extension 206 dependingfrom the filling head isdesigned tosurround the carton or container 224 rather than to be in.-

serted within it as was the case with exten- Thus extension 206 is inthenature .of an outer shroud which cooperates with supporting plate 2I6 toenclose completely the container 224. The lower end of shroud 206-isflared outwardly at 208 and isprovided withy-an air control passage 210connected by a suitable conduit 2| 2 to the controlled vacuum: source.

Container support 2I6 has a corner guide 2I'8 Ior accuratelocation ofthe container'224' and also has a resilient insert 220 constituting. aseat against which the lower end-208 of shroud 206 may engage to form anairtight filling chamber. Container support '2I6 is mounted on apneumatic cylinder 222 which is reciprocated vertically in the samemanner as cylinder-36 previously'described.

The container support and filling head of Fig. 10 are particularlydesigned for use with relatively flexible and somewhat perviouscontainers where the dimensions are such thatfan inner extension such as32 of Fig. 3 can not be used satisfactorily. The shroud 206 completelyencloses container 224 and during the'filling operation, a vacuum ismaintained bothoutside 7 'Since minor variations and changes in theexact details of construction will be apparentito persons skilled inthis field, it is intended that this invention shall cover all. suchchanges and I modifications as fallwithin the spirit .andiscope of theattached claims.

Now, therefore, we claim: I l. A fillingmachine-comprising a-bas'e,'acon- 'tainer support and a filling head mounted 'on the base forrelative movement between a'loa'ding position and a filling position,powermeans controlling said relative movement, actuating means for thefilling head operable only when relative movement of the partsto'filling position is complete, stop means mounted on the machineformovement to and from a blocking position" in which it preventscomplete relative movement tofilling position, detector meanslrement andincluding resilient meansmovingthe of and within the container 224 bymeans of the conduits 2l2 and 200, respectively.

The stop mechanism,set.ting mechanism detector and resetting devicepreviously described will operate equally satisfactorily in connectionwith the filling head and container support of- Fig. 10. Thus whenupward movement of the support 2 l6 is arrested before the support hassupport and head to filling-position, actuating means for the fillinghead operable only when relative movement of the parts to fillingposition is complete, stop'means mounted on the machine for'movement toand from a blockingposition inwhich it opposes the action of theresilient power means and prevents complete relative movement to fillingposition, detector means responsive to absence of a container fromthesupport, andme'ans operatively interconnecting the stop means anddetector means and movingthe .stop means to blocking position wheneverthe detector'means responds to absence of such a container.

' 3. A filling machine according toc1aim, 2 .in which the power meanscontrolling said relative movement includes pneumatic means urging theparts to'filling position. a

11 r .1541 A. filling machine comprising iaibasejaacontainerlsupport anda filling head mounted on athe base for relative movement between: aloading -posit'ion and a filling position, power means controlling saidrelative movement, actuating means and thereby move the stop meansitoblocking' position whenever the detector means responds -to'absence of.such a container.

' '5. A filling machine comprising a base, a car- 'rier rotatablymounted on the base, a container support and a filling head mounted onthe carrier for relative movement between a spaced load- :ing positionanda juxtaposed filling position atl'predetermined points in therotation of-the carrier, power means controlling said relative movementand including resilient means-moving the support and, head tofillingposition,-.actuating means for the filling head operable only whenrelative movement of the parts to filling position is complete, stopmeans on;the; carrier movable to and from a blocking position in whichit prevents complete relative movement-to filling position, settingmeans'on the base movable from a normally retracted position to aprojected position in which it engages and moves the stop -means toblocking position as the carrier and .stop' rotate past the settingmeans, and detector m'eans responsive to absence of a container from the.support for moving the setting means to projected position. ,6. Afillingmachine accordingto claim 5 ineluding resetmeans mounted on thebase at a rpoint 'which,-in the direction of rotation of. the carrier,is beyond the setting means and beyond the point at which the supportand head are in filling position, the resetmeans engaging and :movingthe stop means back out of blocking posi- "tiongin preparation forthe'next filling cycle. .7. ,A filling machine according to claim .5 inwhich the normally retracted setting means includes a solenoid formovement of the setting 'means to blocking position when the solenoid isenergized, and the detector means includes a switch in circuit with thesolenoid, and a movable 'feeler arm controlling the operation oi the.switch.

'and closing the latter when the i eeler arm' fails to; encounter acontainer. 7 v 8. A filling machine comprising a base, a car- .rierrotatably mountedon the base, a container support and a filling headmounted on the car,-

rier, pneumatic means on the carrier moving the support with respect tothe head from .a loading .position to a filling position at a firstpointin the rotation of the carrier and moving the support back fromfilling position to loading position at a second point in the rotationof' the l carrier, actuating means for the filling head operable to filla container on the support during rotation of the support, head andcarrier between said first and second points, means effectivelydisabling the actuating means when the support is out of fillingposition, stop means on the car- "rier' movable to and from a blockingposition in whichit engages the support and prevents completion of itsmovement to filling position, set- "ting means. onthe base including anormally retracted cam, and detector means responsive to the absence'ofa container from the support for "moving the cam to a projected positionin which iteng'ages and'moves the stop means to blocking position priorto arrival of thesupport at said first pointin the rotation of thecarrier.

'9. A filling machine according to claim -8rin .whichthe stop means onthe carrier includes a movable stop, a spring normally holding "the stopin the path of movement of the'suppo'rt and permitting movement of thestop out ofzsaid path as, the support moves to filling position, andalatch mounted for movement between *a disengaged position anda'blocking' position in which it engages and prevents. movement of thestop, the latch having a portion fengag'edbyzsaid setting cam when thelatter is inproje'cted position.

.10. A filling machine'ac'cording. to claim 8 in which the stop means onthe carrier includes a pivot stop, a spring normally holding-the'stop in---the path of movement of the supportand permittihg rotation of thestopout of said path as the support moves to filling position,and-alatoh -mounted for movement between a disengaged position and ablocking position in which, it engages and prevents rotation of thestop, the 'latchhavinga portion engaged'by said setting -cam when thelatteris in projected-position.

"11'. A filling machine according to claim '8 in which the stop means onthe carrier includes a stop ipivoted on an axis extending radially ofthe carrier, a spring normally holding thefisto'p in. the path'ofmovement of the support and "permitting rotation of the'stop out ofsaid. path as the support moves to filling position, and a latchslidably mounted for movement in a direction extending radially of thecarrier between a disengaged position and a blocking positionin which itengages and prevents rotation of the stop, the latch having a'portionengagedby said setting cam when the:latteriis.irnprojectedwposi- I 12. Afilling machine comprising a base, a container support and a fillinghead mounted on the base for relative movement between a spaced loadingposition anda juxtaposed filling position, 'cooperating elements on thesupport and head engaging each other'to form an air tight fillingchamber when the support and head are completely moved to fillingposition, power means controlling the relative movement of the supportand head and including'means resiliently urging the parts to fillingposition, actuating means "for the fillinghead including means forconnection of said filling chamber to a source of vacuum, the actuatingmeans being ineffective until the cooperating elements of the supportand head are in complete engagement, stop means mounted on the machineforinovement to and from a blocking position in which 'it preventscomplete, relative movement to filling position,

and detector means responsive to absence of a container from thesupport, said detector means and stop means being operatively connectedand moving the stop means to blocking position whenever the, detectormeans responds to labsenceiof such a container.

13. A filling machine according to claim 12 in which said cooperatingelements include a tubular extension on the filling vhead for insertioninside afiexible container to bejfilled, and a resilient sealing gasketon one of said tubularextensions and container supportlmembers for .re-

I 2,603,398 7 13 14 silient air tight engagement of a. container botvREFERENCES CITED tom between the extension and support. The f now-neferen es are f rec rd th 14. A filling machine according to claim 12 inme of fi Q a i c o o 1 e which said cooperating elements include ashroud on the filling head for completely env5 UNITED STATES PATENTSclosing a container to be filled, the shroud and Number Name Datesupport having portions movable into sealing en- 2,302,693 Hoar Nov. 24,1942 gagement only when relative movement of the 2,833,545. v Meyer Nov.2, 1943 support and head to filling position is complete.

PAUL E. FISCHER. l0

MORTIMER B. S'IURDEVANT.

